Page 47 of Without a Doubt

“Why would you ask him that?” she asks, shaking her head in disbelief at me.

“I don't know!” I throw my hands up before turning my head to look at her, desperate for a change of topic. “How are you and Parker?”

“I think I'm going to break up with him.” She falls back onto the bed.

“What? Why?” I sit up and look at her.

Catherine is quiet for a minute before she finally speaks. “I never thought I would say a guy is too clingy. Or clingy period. But I think he is. He calls or texts too much. He wants to see me all the time. I need space, Eva! Parker is suffocating me.”

“Sorry. Have you told him? Maybe try that first because you like him, right?”

She sighs heavily. “Yeah, I like him a lot except for this particular trait.”

“Then talk to him.”

Catherine nods. “I guess I will. Better to try and make it work than run the first chance I get, right?”

“Right.”

“Besides, I'm woman enough to admit I'll find any reason to run,” she mumbles. “I don't even know why I date.”

Catherine does have that issue. She's a serial dumper. All she needs is one thing she doesn't like and she's leaving to move onto the next guy. I don't know why because she doesn't ever explain when I ask. Only recently has she admitted it's a problem.

“Because you want the fairytale ending even though you prevent yourself from getting it.”

Catherine shoots me a glare. “Don't you have boy trouble to worry about?”

“Don't you have a book to read?” I mock in return.

“Good point.” She grabs her book off the nightstand and begins to read.

I leave her to it, go shower, and start working on homework afterward. All I want to do is sleep. And the problem with homework is that I'm relatively still while I work on it. Having a long day doesn't help either. My phone vibrates with a text.

Emerson: Long day?

Me: The longest. Yours?

Emerson: The same. Are you busy right now?

Me: No...why?

Emerson: Come outside and find Sweet Irene. I have a surprise for you.

“What are you doing?” Catherine asks as I jump off the bed.

“Emerson is here with a surprise for me.”

“You saw him two days ago,” she points out.

“Is he clingy now too?” I tease as I slip my feet into flip-flops and grab a hoodie since I'm in my pajamas with no bra on. It should be cool enough that I won't be too hot.

Catherine rolls her eyes and I head outside. Emerson's truck isn't in the first row of vehicles facing the building. He must see me though because lights flash on my left. I head that way and see Sweet Irene parked in the second row. My excitement causes me to break out into a run and hop into the truck.

“Why am I meeting you out here?” I ask as I close the door.

“Because it's late and I didn't want to disturb whatever Catherine may be doing. Get over here and kiss me.”

I scoot to the middle seat. Emerson closes the distance between us to kiss me. His lips sliding against mine, his hot, minty breath mingling with mine, and the smooth glide of his tongue as he becomes reacquainted with my mouth is too much. My heart rate soars as my skin flushes with heat. I could kiss him forever. How could I not when he kisses like I'm divine, like he needs to inhale my every breath to survive? His groan when I accidentally rest a hand in the middle of his lap makes me smile.

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